वि.सं:
नेपाल संवत: ११४५ चिल्लाथ्व पुन्हि - १५
वि.सं:
नेपाल संवत: ११४५ चिल्लाथ्व पुन्हि - १५
Remarks by Ambassador Mr. Ghanshyam Bhandari at the
“Literary Exchange and Prize Distribution Ceremony”
(Dhaka, 25 February 2025)
Chief Guest, Honourable Adviser for Cultural Affairs H.E. Mr. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki,
Director-General of Bangla Academy
Eminent literary writers and Artists from Nepal and Banglaesh,
Friends from Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society,
Winners of the Painting Competition-2025, Parents and Guardians, and
Distinguished Guests
Namaste, As-salamu Alaykum, and Shubho Aparanha
I would like to extend my warmest greetings and welcome all of you to this programme.
At the outset, I express my heartiest gratitude to Hon. Cultural Adviser H.E. Mr. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki for gracing the occasion as our Chief Guest.
Let me also extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation of literary writers from Nepal on their visit to Dhaka. My sincere thanks to Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society for inviting them to Bangladesh and offering them generous hospitality.
Similarly, I acknowledge the presence of eminent writers and artists from Bangladesh and thank them for joining us.
We have organized this program with two key objectives: promoting literary exchanges between Nepal and Bangladesh and felicitating the winners of the Painting Competition held on 24 January 2025.
Hon. Advisor, and dear friends
Nepal and Bangladesh enjoy close cultural ties deeply rooted in historical and civilizational linkages.
The history of cultural and literary exchanges between our societies dates back to centuries. Bengali Buddhist scholars and philosophers such as Atish Dipankar and Vanaratna travelled to Nepal centuries ago to spread Buddhist messages of peace, non-violence and harmony. Linguistic connections are also reflected in the discovery of the palm-leaf manuscript of the Charyapada in the Royal Court of Nepal 1907 by the renowned Bengali scholar Haraprasad Shastri.
This invaluable artefact was written sometime between the 8th and 12th centuries in Abahatta which is believed to be one of the ancestors of the modern Bangla language.
The linguistic connections between our countries are evident in the Sanskrit language and literature being the root of both Nepali and Bangla languages.
The names of months in Nepali and Bangla calendars have their origins in the same Bikram Sambat, also known as Vikrami Calendar.
Not only this, we celebrate similar festivals, eat similar foods, and follow similar traditions and customs.
These instances are merely a glimpse of how close and connected we are through art, language, and culture.
Today, as we listened to the poems recited in both Nepali and Bangla languages by esteemed writers, we noticed the striking similarities between our languages. Beyond the linguistic similarities, the emotions and sentiments expressed in those literary pieces deeply resonated with one another.
I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the eminent creative writers and critics from both Nepal and Bangladesh for their literary pieces and well-researched and insightful papers.
Distinguished Guests
As I mentioned at the beginning, another objective of this programme is to felicitate the winners of the Painting Competition-2025 organized among the school students at the historic Central Shaheed Minar last month.
I am pleased to inform you that 353 students participated in the Competition from as many as 91 schools.
My warmest congratulations to all twenty selected participants, including the top eight winners.
Art is a medium through which ideas, emotions, and experiences are expressed, often more profoundly than thousands of words could ever express.
The remarkable paintings of the young artists in the Competition reflect their deep admiration and appreciation for Nepal, its natural beauty and diverse cultural heritage. I don’t think words could ever express such profound sentiments as vividly as these artworks do.
I take this opportunity to thank all the participating students, their schools, teachers, and parents for their enthusiasm and support in making this endeavour a success.
My heartfelt gratitude also goes to the judges for their invaluable contribution in selecting the twenty best artworks published in the catalogue we unveiled a while ago. We thank them for their expertise and support in recognizing and encouraging the artistic talents of young students.
My sincere appreciation also goes to the Executive Committee of Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Society and all its members for their continued efforts in promoting cultural and literary ties between Nepal-Bangladesh!
সম্মানিত অতিথিবৃন্দ ও প্রিয় সুধীমন্ডলী,
নেপাল ও বাংলাদেশের মধ্যে গভীর সাংস্কৃতিক ও ভাষাগত সংযোগ রয়েছে।
জানুয়ারিতে আয়োজিত চিত্রাঙ্কন প্রতিযোগিতা এবং আজকের সাহিত্য বিনিময়ের এই সংযোগকে আরো এগিয়ে নিতে দূতাবাসের একটি প্রচেষ্টা।
চিত্রাঙ্কন প্রতিযোগিতায় অংশগ্রহন করার জন্য আমি সকল শিক্ষার্থী ও বিদ্যালয়কে ধন্যবাদ জানাই।
আজকের সাহিত্য বিনিময় অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিক অতিথিবৃন্দ ও বক্তাদেরকে ধন্যবাদ জানাই।
এই উপলক্ষ্যে আসুন আমাদের সাংস্কৃতিক ও সাহিত্যিক যোগসূত্রকে আরো মজবুত করতে একসাথে কাজ করি।
আজ আমাদের সাথে যোগ দেওয়ার জন্য মাননীয় সাংস্কৃতিক উপদেষ্টা এবং আপনাদের সকলের প্রতি আমার আন্তরিক কৃতজ্ঞতা।
আপনাদের সবাইকে অনেক অনেক ধন্যবাদ।
